Hanoi (VNA) – The 44thMeeting of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) ExecutiveBoard, which was held in Hanoi on April 19, was highlighted by regional newsagencies.

Chinese Xinhua News Agency reportedthat the event centered discussions on topics including fake news andfact-checking.

It quoted the Vietnamese deputy PrimeMinister Vu Duc Dam as saying at the opening ceremony that in recent years, inthe wake of numerous forms of communications based on modern technologies aswell as fast and wide dissemination of fake news, the OANA serves as not only achannel to provide information to news organizations and partners, but also afact checker to help bolster the trust of the public in traditional press.

According to him, pursuing a moreprofessional and innovative approach to journalism will lend news organizationsthe strength to captivate audience and bolster the public's confidence,especially when fake news are doing damage to the image of the press.

In his speech at the meeting, OANAPresident Aslan Aslanov, who is also chairman of the board of AZERTAC (statenews agency of Azerbaijan), said that as online media and social networks areexpanding and a dangerous trend such as fake news is growing, "we mustmake continuous efforts in order to address these challenges and maintain theaccuracy, objectivity and impartiality of news," according to Xinhua.

He called for OANA members toimmediately apply innovations, continue to modernize their organizations andcreate more flexible news exchange mechanisms, the agency reported.

🦄 Themed "For Professional andInnovative Journalism," the meeting was attended by about 40 delegatesfrom China's Xinhua News Agency, Russia's ITAR-TASS, Japan's Kyodo, theRepublic of Korea's Yonhap, among others.

Meanwhile,Azerbaijani news agency AZERTAC highlighted the meeting hosted by Vietnamese Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyen XuanPhuc with head delegates to the 44th OANA Executive Board Meeting. According to AZERTAC, at themeeting with the delegation led by OANA President, AZERTAC’s Chairman of theBoard Aslan Aslanov, the Vietnamese PM stressed the organization’s regionalimportance. He said OANA member agencies have a role to play in preventing thespread of fake news. Aslan Aslanov hailedrelations between AZERTAC andVNA, and noted the agencies’ role in providing the people of Azerbaijan andVietnam with reliable news.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuansaid Vietnam places a great emphasis on its relations with Azerbaijan, andpraised relations between the two countries. He underlined the possibility ofopening a direct flight between Hanoi and Baku. The prime minister said manyVietnamese who received higher education in Azerbaijan now hold high state andgovernment offices and contribute to the deepening of relations between the twocountries, stated the article.
Atthe same time, Iran news agency IRNA quoted its representative GholamrezaNemati as saying that OANA members should exchange their experiences topromote their news agencies based on the changes occurred on media industry ona daily basis.

Itadded that the 44th Meeting of the OANA Executive Board focused on three topics: strategies responding tochanges in information use orienting towards video clips; fake news andfact-checking; and regaining trust for mainstream news. 

OANAwas established in Bangkok, Thailand, on December 22, 1961, as an initiative ofthe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

♎ At present, OANA brings together 44 news agencies from 35countries. OANA members are responsible for two-thirds of information circulatedthroughout the world.-VNA